THOMAS A KEMPIS. 1380–1471. Man proposes, but God disposes.1 Imitation of Christ. Book i. Chap. 19. And when he is out of sight, quickly also is he out of mind.2 Chap. 23. Book iii. Chap. 12. Of two evils, the less is always to be chosen.3 JOHN FORTESCUE. Circa 1395-1485. 4 Moche Crye and no Wull. De Laudibus Leg. Angliæ. Chap. x. Comparisons are odious." Chap. xix. 1 This expression is of much greater antiquity. It appears in the Chronicle of Battel Abbey, p. 27 (Lower's translation), and in The Vision of Piers Ploughman, line 13994. ed. 1550. A man's heart deviseth his way; but the Lord directeth his steps. Proverbs xvi. 9. 2 Out of syght, out of mynd. - GOOGE: Eglogs. 1563. And out of mind as soon as out of sight. -- Lord BROOKE: Sonnet lvi. Fer from eze, fer from herte, Quoth Hendyng. HENDYNG: Proverbs, MSS. Circa 1320. I do perceive that the old proverbis be not alwaies trew, for I do finde that the absence of my Nath. doth breede in me the more continuall remembrance of him. Anne Lady Bacon to Jane Lady Cornwallis, 1613. On page 19 of The Private Correspondence of Lady Cornwallis, Sir Nathaniel Bacon speaks of the owlde proverbe, "Out of sighte, out of mynde." 8 See Chaucer, page 5. All cry and no wool. BUTLER: Hudibras, part i. canto i. line 852. 5 CERVANTES: Don Quixote (Lockhart's ed.), part ii. chap. i. LYLY: Euphues, 1580. MARLOWE: Lust's Dominion, act iii. sc. 4. BURTON: Anatomy of Melancholy, part iii. sec. 3. THOMAS HEYWOOD: A Woman killed with Kindness (first ed. in 1607), act i. sc. 1. DONNE: Elegy, viii. HERBERT Jacula Prudentum. GRANGE: Golden Aphrodite. SHAKESPEARE: Much Ado about Nothing Comparisons are odorous. act iii. sc. 5. - JOHN SKELTON. Circa 1460-1529. There is nothynge that more dyspleaseth God, He ruleth all the roste.2 Old proverbe says, Magnyfycence. Line 1954. Why Come ye not to Courte. Line 198. Colyn Cloute. Line 939. Line 1106. Line 1240. Line 1531. That byrd ys not honest That fyleth hys owne nest. Poems against Garnesche. JOHN HEYWOOD." Circa 1565. As sages in all times assert; The loss of wealth is loss of dirt, The happy man's without a shirt. Be Merry Friends. 1 He that spareth the rod hateth his son. Proverbs xiii. 24. They spare the rod and spoyl the child. -RALPH VENNING: Mysteries and Revelations (second ed.), p. 5. 1649. Spare the rod and spoil the child. - BUTLER: Hudibras, pt. ii. c. i. l. 843. 2 Rule the rost. - HEYWOOD: Proverbes, part i. chap. v. Her that ruled the rost. Rules the roast. JONSON, CHAPMAN, MARSTON: Eastward Ho, act ii. sc. 1. SHAKESPEARE: 2 Henry VI. act i. sc. 1. 3 In spite of my teeth. - MIDDLETON: A Trick to catch the Old One, act i. sc. 2. FIELDING: Eurydice Hissed. 6 It is a foule byrd that fyleth his owne nest. — HEYWOOD: Proverbes, part ii. chap. v. 7 The Proverbes of John Heywood is the earliest collection of English colloquial sayings. It was first printed in 1546. The title of the edition of 1562 is, John Heywoodes Woorkes. A Dialogue conteyning the number of the effectuall proverbes in the English tounge, compact in a matter concernynge two maner of Maryages, etc. The selection here given is from the edition of 1874 (a reprint of 1598), edited by Julian Sharman. Let the world slide,1 let the world go; If I can't pay, why I can owe, And death makes equal the high and low. 1 Let the world slide.-Towneley Mysteries, p. 101 (1420). SHAKESPEARE: Taming of the Shrew, induc. 1. BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER: Wit without Money, act v. sc. 2. 2 A common exclamation of regret occurring in Spenser, Harrington, and the older writers. An earlier instance of the phrase occurs in the Towneley Mysteries. 8 'Tis good to be merry and wise. -JONSON, CHAPMAN, MARSTON: Eastward Ho, act i. sc. 1. BURNS: Here's a health to them that's awa'. 4 don fust C'on kint souvent est-on batu. (By his own stick the prudent one is often beaten.) Roman du Renart, circa 1300. 5 Look ere thou leap. - In Tottel's Miscellany, 1557; and in Tusser's Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry. Of Wiving and Thriving. 1573. Thou shouldst have looked before thou hadst leapt.-JONSON, CHAPMAN, MARSTON: Eastward Ho, act v. sc. 1. Look before you ere you leap. -BUTLER: Hudibras, pt. ii. c. ii. l. 502. 6 He that will not when he may, When he will he shall have nay. BURTON: Anatomy of Melancholy, pt. iii. sec. 2, mem. 5, subs. 5. He that wold not when he might, He shall not when he wolda. 7 All the fatt's in the fire. The Baffled Knight. PERCY: Reliques MARSTON: What You Will. 1607. Than catch and hold while I may, fast binde, fast finde.3 Ibid. And while I at length debate and beate the bush, There shall steppe in other men and catch the burdes.* Ibid. While betweene two stooles my taile goe to the ground." Ibid. So many heads so many wits." Ibid. Wedding is destiny, And hanging likewise." Ibid. 1 You should hammer your iron when it is glowing hot.. -PUBLIUS SYRUS: Maxim 262. WEB Strike whilst the iron is hot. - RABELAIS : book ii. chap. xxxi. STER: Westward Hoe. Tom A'Lincolne. FARQUHAR: The Beaux' Stratagem, iv. 1. 2 Hoist up saile while gale doth last, Tide and wind stay no man's pleasure. ROBERT SOUTHWELL: St. Peter's Complaint. 1595. Nae man can tether time or tide. - BURNS: Tam O'Shanter. 8 Fast bind, fast find; A proverb never stale in thrifty mind. SHAKESPEARE: Merchant of Venice, act ii. sc. 5. Also in Jests of Scogin. 1565. 4 It is this proverb which Henry V. is reported to have uttered at the siege of Orleans. "Shall I beat the bush and another take the bird?" said King Henry. 5 Entre deux arcouns chet cul à terre (Between two stools one sits on the ground). — Les Proverbes del Vilain, MS. Bodleian. Circa 1303. S'asseoir entre deux selles le cul à terre (One falls to the ground in trying to sit on two stools). RABELAIS: book i. chap. ii. QUEEN ELIZA 6 As many men, so many minds. - TERENCE: Phormio, ii. 3. - GASCOIGNE: Glass of Government. 7 Hanging and wiving go by destiny. - The Schole-hous for Women. SHAKESPEARE: Merchant of Venice, act 2. sc. 9. 1541. Marriage and hanging go by destiny; matches are made in heaven. BURTON: Anatomy of Melancholy, part iii. sec. 2, mem. 5, subs. 5. Happy man, happy dole.1 God never sends th' mouth but he sendeth meat. Like will to like. A hard beginning maketh a good ending. When the skie falth we shall have Larkes.2 Proverbes. Part i. Chap. iii. Chap. iv. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. More frayd then hurt. Ibid. Feare may force a man to cast beyond the moone.3 Ibid. Nothing is impossible to a willing hart. Ibid, The wise man sayth, store is no sore. Chap. v. Let the world wagge, and take mine ease in When all candles bee out, all cats be gray. Ibid. 9 No man ought to looke a given horse in the mouth. Ibid. 1 Happy man be his dole Winter's Tale, act i. sc. 2. 2 Si les nues tomboyent SHAKESPEARE: Merry Wives, act iii. sc. 4; BUTLER: Hudibras, part i. canto iii. line 168. esperoyt prendre les alouettes (If the skies fall, - one may hope to catch larks). RABELAIS: book i. chap. xi. 3 To cast beyond the moon, is a phrase in frequent use by the old writers. LYLY: Euphues, p. 78. THOMAS HEYWOOD: A Woman Killed with Kindness. 4 Let the world slide. SHAKESPEARE: Taming of the Shrew, ind. 1; and, Let the world slip, ind. 2. 5 Shall I not take mine ease in mine inn? - SHAKESPEARE: 1 Henry IV. act iii. sc. 2. 6 See Skelton, page 8. SHAKESPEARE: 2 Henry VI. act i. sc. 1. THOMAS HEYWOOD: History of Women. 7 Hold their noses to the grindstone. Constable, act iii. sc. 3. 8 It is more blessed to give than to receive. MIDDLETON: Blurt, Master John xx. 35. 9 This proverb occurs in Rabelais, book i. chap. xi. ; in Vulgaria Stambrigi, circa 1510; in Butler, part i. canto i. line 490. Archbishop Trench says this proverb is certainly as old as Jerome of the fourth century, who, when some found fault with certain writings of his, replied that they were free-will offerings, and that it did not behove to look a gift horse in the mouth. |